Sharapova crashes out, Kerber breezes into quarters

WUHAN (AFP) – Fourth seed Maria Sharapova crashed out of the $2.4 million WTA Wuhan Open Wednesday in two sets Wednesday, while world number eight Angelique Kerber crushed her opponent to make the quarter-finals.

Sharapova was defeated by Timea Bacsinszky in a tight game, losing the first set at the tie break and the second 7-5 — a result which broke the hearts of the local crowd who were supporting the Russian world number four.

The tournament has already suffered the loss of a string of seeds, including world number one Serena Williams, and local hero Li Na announced her retirement days before it started.

Switzerland’s Bacsinszky will go on to play either Casey Dellacqua of Australia or Denmark’s world number eight Caroline Wozniacki in the quarter-finals.

Kerber, the seventh seed in Wuhan, lost only two games in her match with Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic, winning 6-1, 6-1.

French players Caroline Garcia and Alize Cornet also made it through to the quarter-finals.